POWER GENERATION DEVICES, ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS, AND METHODS

Abstract

A power generation device may include a radiation source, an emitter, and a collector. The emitter may be formed adjacent to the radiation source. The emitter may include a high-density material. The collector may be adjacent to the radiation source and include a low-density material. The emitter is between the radiation source and the collector. An insulator may be positioned between the emitter and the collector. An emitter of a nuclear battery and a method of forming an emitter of a nuclear battery are also disclosed.

Description

Claims

1. A power generation device comprising: a radiation source;an emitter adjacent to the radiation source, the emitter including a high-density material;a collector adjacent to the emitter, the collector including a low-density material, the emitter positioned between the radiation source and the collector; andan insulator positioned between the emitter and the collector.

2. The power generation device of claim 1, wherein the emitter comprises a metal foam material.

3. The power generation device of claim 1, wherein the emitter comprises a distribution of multiple emitting materials.

4. The power generation device of claim 1, wherein the emitter comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, uranium, rhenium, gold, and alloys thereof.

5. The power generation device of claim 1, wherein the emitter comprises peaks of the high-density material extending from emitting surfaces of the emitter, wherein the emitting surfaces of the emitter face the collector.

6. The power generation device of claim 5, wherein the peaks of the high-density material comprise ridges along the emitting surfaces of the emitter.

7. The power generation device of claim 5, wherein the peaks of the high-density material comprise an array of raised points extending from the emitting surfaces of the emitter.

8. The power generation device of claim 5, wherein the emitting surfaces comprise an inner surface of the emitter facing the radiation source and an outer surface of the emitter facing away from the radiation source.

9. The power generation device of claim 1, further comprising a spacer extending between the emitter and the collector, at least a portion of the spacer comprising an insulating structure configured to electrically isolate the emitter from the collector.

10. An emitter of a nuclear battery comprising: a high-density material having an inner surface and an outer surface,at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface comprising a roughened surface including multiple peaks configured to create high energy areas.

11. The emitter of claim 10, wherein the emitter is formed from at least two high-density materials distributed between the inner surface and the outer surface.

12. The emitter of claim 11, wherein a first high-density material forms an inner portion of the emitter including the inner surface and a second high-density material forms an outer portion of the emitter including the outer surface.

13. The emitter of claim 12, wherein the first high-density material comprises a material formulated to release high amounts of energy when electrons are dislodged due to impinging radiation and the second high-density material comprises a material formulated to release large numbers of electrons under the impinging radiation.

14. The emitter of claim 10, wherein the high-density material has an annular shape.

15. The emitter of claim 10, wherein the emitter exhibits a gradient from a high atomic number material to a low atomic number material between the inner surface and the outer surface.

16. The emitter of claim 15, wherein the high atomic number material comprises tungsten.

17. The emitter of claim 15, wherein the low atomic number material comprises titanium.

18. A method of forming an emitter of a nuclear battery, the method comprising: forming a ring from a high-density material through an additive manufacturing process; and forming multiple peaks extending from a surface of the ring.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the multiple peaks comprises forming ridges along the surface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the multiple peaks comprises forming an array of raised points about the surface.